Posted 3 years ago on Dec. 18, 2011, 5:38 p.m. EST by fucorporatemedia
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Unbeknownst to most Texans, Gov. Rick Perry officially retired in January so he could draw early pension benefits worth $7,699 a month, in addition to his annual governor's salary of $150,000.

Perry's January retirement - on paper, at least - was revealed Friday when the Federal Elections Commission released the financial disclosure statement the governor was required to file as a candidate for the Republican nomination for president. The annuity brings Perry's total state government-related income to $242,388 a year.

Mike Gross, head of the 12,000-member Texas State Employees Union, said Perry's pension deal "will sit badly" with other public employees.

"People are acutely aware that there's a very strong criticism and all-out assault by conservatives on public employee pension systems. But he's taking care of himself," Gross said.

Gross said he had never heard of a Texas official doing what Perry has done.

"Regular employees who retire and return to work get their pension frozen and don't accrue additional years of service - and those people are strongly criticized as being double-dippers and trying to exploit a unique situation," he said.